Camp knife

M

melt

Joined
Nov 20, 2006
Messages
467
I just bought one of these at a local dealer, and I love it. (not my photo)
ON8980.jpg

I've wanted one of the Camillus made ones for a while now, but I despise e-bay, so when I saw that Ontario is now making these (in the U.S.A!), I had to have one. Yeah, I know that the Victorinox Farmer I have cost less and will do more, but I'm addicted to knives like this. Metal handles, swinging bail, main blade, punch, can opener, bottle opener, and flat-had screwdriver. And it just looks so tough. All stainless steel. I tried the can opener out yesterday, and it works great. The knife was not all that sharp out of the box (would not shave hair off my arm), but after a little time on a green DMT stone and a cardboard strop it is now shaving sharp. Having never owned one of these that was made by Camillus, I don't know if it is as good of a knife as those made by Camillus. But I seriously do not see anything on mine that needs improvement. It's a very good tool that I should be able to pass on to my son, or maybe even his son one day.
 
I have a 2006 Camillus made one, and it is great. A bit crudely made, but feels like a tank. However, from what I've heard, it's springs aren't the best and have been prone to breaking. Only time will tell, I guess. Congrats on the purchase, though. Use the crap out of it.
 
Properly called a demo knife even tho it doesn't serve in that capacity...

The term Demo Knife is an affectionate but completely inappropriate and dangerously inaccurate nickname bestowed on a knife manufactured for the US Military by Camillus Knives and made entirely of stainless steel. The term “Demo” is short for Demolitions. Decades ago, the rumor got started that because the knife in question was stainless steel, it was non-magnetic and therefore could be used to de-activate mines without setting them off. Regardless of the persistence of this rumor, the steel used to make the knives is indeed magnetic. Still, the rumor persists and like it or not, the name is stuck like glue and I continue to refer to the knife by it’s incorrect name only because I know that my insistence on accuracy would fall on deaf ears. (There is at least one non-magnetic stainless steel that I am aware of, and this knife is not constructed with that particular stainless steel.) For the troops, it will always be “The Demo Knife.”
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The Knife, Pocket NSN: 5110-00-162-2205, has been a long time favorite of mine as well, I carried this one all over the world and into various camps and on trails here in the US. Mine is a 72 Camillus and I have never had a problem with it

demo1a.jpg


“A Special Forces Soldier”
(Author Unknown)

A Special Forces Soldier

As seen by his Post Headquarters:

A drunken, brawling, Jeep stealing, woman corrupting, Liar, with a star sapphire ring, Rolex watch and Demo Knife.

As seen by himself:

A tall, handsome, highly trained professional killer, female Idol, star sapphire ring wearing, Demo Knife carrying Gentleman who is always on time due to the reliability of his Rolex watch.

As seen by his wife:

A stinking member of the family who comes home once a year in the back door with a rucksack full of dirty laundry, horny, and three months later goes out the front door for another Year.

As seen by his Commander:

A fine specimen of a drunken, brawling. Jeep stealing, woman corrupting Liar, with a star sapphire ring, Rolex watch and a Demo Knife.

As seen by the Department of The Army:

An overpaid, over ranked tax burden who is indispensable because he has volunteered to go anywhere, do anything at any time as long as he can booze it up, brawl, steal Jeeps, corrupt women, lie, wear a star sapphire ring, Rolex watch and carry a Demo Knife.

As seen by the enemy:

The meanest mother in the valley.
 
melt said:
I just bought one of these at a local dealer, and I love it. (not my photo)
ON8980.jpg

I've wanted one of the Camillus made ones for a while now, but I despise e-bay, so when I saw that Ontario is now making these (in the U.S.A!), I had to have one. Yeah, I know that the Victorinox Farmer I have cost less and will do more, but I'm addicted to knives like this. Metal handles, swinging bail, main blade, punch, can opener, bottle opener, and flat-had screwdriver. And it just looks so tough. All stainless steel. I tried the can opener out yesterday, and it works great. The knife was not all that sharp out of the box (would not shave hair off my arm), but after a little time on a green DMT stone and a cardboard strop it is now shaving sharp. Having never owned one of these that was made by Camillus, I don't know if it is as good of a knife as those made by Camillus. But I seriously do not see anything on mine that needs improvement. It's a very good tool that I should be able to pass on to my son, or maybe even his son one day.
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Where did you get it? How much?
 
I have a Camillus dated 1961 that I carried for many years when I was in the Navy. I got it in 61 or 62. It served well for those years.

Ed
 
I carried one for those for a few years when I first when into the army. I had been carrying a Camillus scout knife my dad gave me when I was 12, and I didn't want to loose it to a barraks thief, so it got left home. I used the Camillus 'demo' knife and then a Camillus TL-29 for a few years, untill I picked up a Wenger SI while I was stationed in Germany. The Camillus wasn't a bad knife, and I did use it hard as the supply room for our Engineer unit handed them out like lollypops at the doctors office. I did see some with broken springs turned back in for new ones, but many more went on to serve under abusive conditions just fine.

In the early 70's Imperial made some, and now Ontario has the contrat. They are all made to the same specs I would think, exept that maybe if there was a known problem with the springs, amybe Ontario would have fixed that. Ontario is pretty god stuff, judging by the thier leather handle Mark 2 knives.
 
jackknife said:
I carried one for those for a few years when I first when into the army. I had been carrying a Camillus scout knife my dad gave me when I was 12, and I didn't want to loose it to a barraks thief, so it got left home. I used the Camillus 'demo' knife and then a Camillus TL-29 for a few years, untill I picked up a Wenger SI while I was stationed in Germany. The Camillus wasn't a bad knife, and I did use it hard as the supply room for our Engineer unit handed them out like lollypops at the doctors office. I did see some with broken springs turned back in for new ones, but many more went on to serve under abusive conditions just fine.

In the early 70's Imperial made some, and now Ontario has the contrat. They are all made to the same specs I would think, exept that maybe if there was a known problem with the springs, amybe Ontario would have fixed that. Ontario is pretty god stuff, judging by the thier leather handle Mark 2 knives.
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Why the SI and not the Pioneer? Do you prefer the Wenger? Of the two (Wenger to Camillus) which do you prefer.
 
embeth said:
Where did you get it? How much?
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Gilbert's Cutlery, HWY 27 West, Lincolnton, North Carolina,
phone 704-735-8350

Thirty dollars even, out the door.

Smokey Mountain Knifeworks in TN has them also.
 
embeth said:
Why the SI and not the Pioneer? Do you prefer the Wenger? Of the two (Wenger to Camillus) which do you prefer.
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Although I like Victorinox a bit better than Wenger, ( Ford vs Chevy, matter of minor taste) I prefer the SI over the pioneer. 1. For some odd reason that some idiot at Victorinox should be canned, they put the keyring on the pioneer at a different angle than on the rest of thier knives. On the pioneer, it's placed exactly at a spot where it digs into the heel of my hand in a extremly annoying mannor. Plus I like the bail, it's like my old scout knife, TL-29 I caried for a while, and 'demo' knife. To my eyes, a bsail looks very traditional. 2. I like how Wenger gives you a little more belly in the blade.

I love my old SI!
 
In my life, I've owned 4 of these knives all by Camillus. I traded one for a CCM brand West German Army Pocket knife while stationed there in the 1980s. I lost one and still have two.

As much as I love the Camillus Marine Corp Fighting Knife my dad bought me when I turned 16, I've got to admit I've used my Camillus demo knives a whole lot more (demo as in demolition), especially while in the Army. I cut a lot of WD1 wire with mine and that's no easy feat for a pocket knife.

The Ontario one is made with a 420HC main blade. Not sure what the Camillus blade is made of but they are definite keepers. I don't think they were made to last a lifetime but with proper care they will. I know the Ontario ones list for $39.95 at the OKC website. That almost 4 times what I paid for mine back in the day.
 
Toby G said:
I know the Ontario ones list for $39.95 at the OKC website. That almost 4 times what I paid for mine back in the day.
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Tell me about it. My uncle, who was in the Army during Vietnam, said that back in the day, the PX had the Camillus versions for 5 dollars apiece. Wow.
 
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